Claudius, The Scripts
1999; Salisbury University; Volume: 27; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês
ISSN
0090-4260
Autores Tópico(s)Shakespeare, Adaptation, and Literary Criticism
ResumoFor many years, Robert Graves hoped one of his books would bring him success on or screen. It seemed that with novels, would finally have his chance when Denham Studios began to consider that novels might make vehicle for Charles Laughton. Denham Studios were beginning to carve out for themselves role in producing epic properties like Henry VIII, Fire Over England, and Rembrandt. seemed logical next film, but decision to make of Graves' novels was in fact first of series of puzzling decisions. By February of 1935, Alexander Korda decided to with Charles Laughton, Emlyn Williams, and Merle Oberon. Later in summer, Graves noted that wasted much time on a book of film of I, Claudius. Martin Seymour-Smith says that Graves received SO advance, enough to justify time spent at for another book, upon which spent all of April and May 1935 . . . abortive version of Claudius (Graves 252). (Miranda Seymour makes clear in her biography of Graves that this was to be single book, condensation of novels). Graves' diary for August 13, 1936-only few after and Riding fled Mallorca-records visit to Denham Studios to discuss project, during which met Vincent Korda, whom describes as the decor chap who wants to be an artist again, and, ambiguously, so did Laughton (qtd. in Seymour-Smith 265). On October 15, Graves met with Carl Zuckmayer, script writer, and June Head, translator. Graves knew nothing of reputation Zuckmayer as a graceful and genuine minor poet, one of Germany's best and, as friend of Bertolt Brecht's, an already accomplished playwright (272-73). By following day, Graves described in his diary first screenplay for as absolutely cheap nonsense strung on historical absurdities (273). One day later, Graves persuaded Korda that script to be completely revised, and Graves took job himself. But to Graves job was not pleasant one-war news from Mallorca and headaches depressed Graves, but he to force himself to stick at it, working late at night even when feeling ill (273). Richard Perceval Graves adds that Graves was accompanied to Denham Studios by Dr. Ian Richmond, professor of archaeology and expert on Roman Empire. Richmond was as consultant on film, and he, too, felt that anachronisms in script were an embarrassment. John Graves reported that in Graves flat that evening, friends and family heard that Claudius, for example, hands his horse LUMP OF SUGAR! And has dramatic dialogue with Cymbeline of England (long dead! ). The people want Roman soldiers to get bad colds from damp cold climate, but as they were drafted from Rhine, even this is hardly correct (qtd. in Graves 256). In letter to his mother, John Graves noted that in this first script, Zuckmayer had given all Romans in Britain pocket handkerchiefs, as evidence of unpleasant climate in which they were serving (Graves 358). Graves recast script between long discussion over dinner with Korda on October 18 and evening of October 23, when delivered his revision to Korda. Korda felt it was a useful second stage and that would stew over it for 10 days (Graves 256). In his interview for The Epic that Never Was, 1967 documentary produced by Bill Duncalf, Graves' criticism of original script focuses on bad English of expatriate Hungarians surrounding Korda-Graves claims that Korda hired them whether they were competent or not. And illustrates shortcomings of first script, in which line My armies are by someone called Biro is only one example of its rather odd use of English, with a lot revolting in script besides. …
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